Keep your own copy of exactly what you submitted, the portal receipt, the tender documents and addenda, and your clarification trail. Public buyers must keep their own records, but those are theirs, not yours. A TimeBind adds an independent record of the exact files you submitted. The files stay on your device. It shows existence no later than a recorded time, not that you met a deadline or that a bid is compliant. The rules below are summaries of primary sources and procurement law varies by contract, so read your tender documents. For the broader topic, see tender and bid timestamping.
Table of Contents
The common thread: the buyer’s system records receipt
In all four systems below, the receipt time that matters is the one recorded by the buyer’s e-tendering system. Your own records support that. They do not replace it. See also why file dates alone are weak evidence and timestamping for designers and architects.
United Kingdom
- Under the Procurement Act 2023, a contracting authority must keep records sufficient to explain material decisions and records of its communications with suppliers before contract (section 98). Records are kept until a decision not to award, or for three years from entry into the contract, unless other law requires longer.
- Time limits must be the same for each supplier (section 54(2)).
- Find a Tender has been the central digital platform since 24 February 2025. Bids themselves are often submitted through the authority’s own e-tendering portal. Each authority’s tender instructions set out its own rules on late submissions and technical problems, so read them before you lodge.
- Sources: Procurement Act 2023 s.98, s.54, Find a Tender.
European Union
- Directive 2014/24/EU requires electronic communication, including electronic submission (Article 22).
- Annex IV says tools for the electronic receipt of tenders, requests to participate and design-contest plans and projects must guarantee through technical means and appropriate procedures that the exact time and date of receipt can be determined precisely. It also requires that no one can access the data before the time limits.
- Contracting authorities prepare individual reports on procedures (Article 84).
- Source: Directive 2014/24/EU on EUR-Lex. EU-level tender notices appear in TED; national rules and portals implement the directive.
United States (federal)
- Offerors are responsible for submitting proposals so that they reach the designated Government office by the time specified (FAR 15.208(a)). A proposal received after the exact time is late and generally not considered, with limited exceptions (FAR 15.208(b)).
- On receipt, proposals are marked with the date and time of receipt (FAR 15.207(a)), and acceptable evidence of the time of receipt is set out in FAR 15.208(c).
- SAM.gov lists federal opportunities. Where and how you submit is set in each solicitation. State and local rules differ.
- Sources: FAR 15.207, FAR 15.208.
Australia (Commonwealth)
- Officials must maintain documentation for each procurement that is commensurate with its scale, scope and risk, and keep it in line with the Archives Act 1983 (Commonwealth Procurement Rules paragraphs 7.2 to 7.5).
- Late submissions must not be accepted unless the lateness is due to the entity’s own mishandling (paragraph 10.28). The rules say mishandling by a courier or mail service engaged by the supplier does not count (paragraph 10.29).
- AusTender does not permit lodgement after the closing time. If transmission began before closing and the files finished arriving afterwards, AusTender system logs decide whether the response counts as late (AusTender terms of use, clause 1.8). If your response needs several files, make sure all of them are completed and receipted before closing.
- Sources: Commonwealth Procurement Rules, AusTender terms of use. State and territory procurement follows different rules.
What a bidder should keep
| Keep | Why |
|---|---|
| The exact submitted files (one zip is fine) | So you can show what was in the pack |
| Portal receipt or confirmation | The primary record of when it was received |
| Tender documents, addenda, Q&A and clarifications | They show what you were responding to |
| Your internal checklist and sign-off | Shows what you reviewed before lodging |
| The Proof of Time Certificate for the final pack | An independent date for the exact files |
Timing the TimeBind
Timestamp the final pack before you lodge, with time to spare. A Pooled TimeBind is batched with others and can take a day or more to be recorded. An ASAP TimeBind (US$15) is broadcast straight away, though blockchain confirmation is not instant. The certificate does not shift your lodgement time. See how to present the certificate to a panel or client and timestamp a design competition entry.
What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t
A TimeBind shows that this exact file existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. It does not show authorship, ownership or copyright, that a bid was lodged on time or is compliant, or any court outcome. This is general information, not legal advice. For planning submissions, see planning or DA submission drawings.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does a TimeBind prove I lodged before the deadline?
No. The buyer’s portal receipt does that. A TimeBind shows the files existed no later than its recorded time and still match.
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Do I need a TimeBind if the portal keeps a receipt?
You do not need one. It is an extra record of the exact files, useful if someone later disputes what was in the pack.
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Which records should I keep, and for how long?
Keep your submission pack, receipt and clarification trail for at least as long as your contract, insurer and local law require. Public buyers have their own retention duties, such as three years under the UK Act, but yours depend on your own obligations.
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Do rules differ for state, local and design-contest procurements?
Yes. This page covers UK, EU, US federal and Australian Commonwealth sources. State, local and competition rules vary, so check the documents for your process.
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What does it cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, from US$5; ASAP is US$15. See plans and pricing
Timestamp your next tender pack free
Show that this exact file existed no later than a recorded time. Files stay on your device. Get a checkable Proof of Time Certificate. Free to start. Open TimeBinder
Last fact-checked: 10 November 2026.
